Locking zip fasteners, in the prior art, typically involve use of a combination or key lock or shackle to lock two zipper sliders together, typically to lock a zipped compartment or pocket, for example. While effective for suitcases during travel, such use of a combination or key lock for locking zip fasteners is largely impractical and unsuitable for other types of carrying bags, such as purses, backpacks, messenger bags, and briefcases. These types of carrying bags may be utilized every day, requiring prompt and ready access to zipped pockets and compartments to retrieve contents, such as keys and wallets, making use of such combination or key locks highly undesirable. In addition, there are aesthetic and fashion concerns for these types of carrying bags, also rendering use of combination or key locks highly unsatisfactory.
Other types of locking zip fasteners are also typically unsuitable for these types of carrying bags, from both functional and aesthetic/fashion points of view. For example, the mating locking zipper tabs of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0069757 are interlocked orthogonally (perpendicular) to the zipper and protrude or extend away from the carrying bag. These interlocked, mating zipper tabs can readily snag on other items, such as clothing, and often come apart and fail as a locking mechanism under conditions of actual use, such as when jostled or bumped. As these mating zipper tabs are typically asymmetrical, have protruding mating structures for locking, and do not align with the direction of the zipper itself, they are also typically unsuitable for carrying bags which have fashion, aesthetic and design objectives, such as purses and briefcases.
Similar functional and aesthetic concerns arise for other locking zipper structures, such as those of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0106951 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0257351, which are also unsuitable for carrying bags which have fashion, aesthetic and design objectives, such as purses and briefcases.
Accordingly, a need remains for locking zipper pull tabs which may be readily implemented, and which are suitable for carrying bags which have fashion, aesthetic and design objectives, such as purses and briefcases. Such locking zipper pull tabs should nonetheless require multiple, distinct and different movements to open the locking zipper pull tabs, to avoid inadvertent or easy opening of the locking zipper pull tabs, and thereby provided additional locking security.